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Sexton signs off 100th cap with try in rout of Japan

By PA
Johnny Sexton /PA

Johnny Sexton stylishly celebrated his 100th cap with a second-half try as Ireland launched their autumn campaign with a crushing 60-5 win over Japan.

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Andy Farrell’s men were in dominant mood in Dublin and warmed up for next weekend’s showdown against New Zealand by producing some scintillating, free-flowing rugby.

Captain Sexton marked his milestone appearance by claiming the fifth of nine scores at a below-capacity Aviva Stadium, in addition to slotting 11 points with his boot.

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There was also a hat-trick for Andrew Conway, while James Lowe, Jamison Gibson-Park, midfield duo Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose, and replacement prop Cian Healy were also on the scoresheet for the commanding hosts.

Japan’s consolation came from Siosaia Fifita but they were outclassed and powerless to prevent the Irish stretching their winning streak to six successive games.

Sexton became only the seventh Irishman to reach a century of appearances – following Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Rory Best, Paul O’Connell, John Hayes and current team-mate Healy – and was afforded a standing ovation ahead of kick-off.

Any negativity regarding the swathes of empty seats and Ireland’s decision to ditch their traditional green jerseys in favour of a purple alternative swiftly dissipated in a spellbinding opening quarter.

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New Zealand-born Lowe – recalled after being dropped for March’s Guinness Six Nations win over England – set the ball rolling by diving over in the left corner just four minutes in.

Scrum-half Gibson-Park, another native Kiwi, played a pivotal role in the opener and he was also instrumental in the second.

The hosts gained serious ground with a series of neat offloads, before their number nine – starting ahead of Conor Murray – produced a delightful, defence-splitting kick to give Conway a straightforward finish in the corner.

Munster man Conway was one of only three non-Leinster players in the Irish line-up.

He stretched the scoreboard further with only 19 minutes on the clock, benefiting from a quick cross-field ball following a rolling maul on the left to once again charge over out wide.

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Japan, beaten narrowly on this ground by an experimental Ireland side in early July, had shocked the hosts in the pool stage of the 2019 World Cup.

Playing only a fourth fixture since that home tournament due to the coronavirus pandemic, Jamie Joseph’s men never looked likely to spring another surprise and struggled to break out of their own 22 for the duration of a one-sided opening period.

After a simple Sexton penalty in front of the posts, Ireland took further control as Gibson-Park claimed his maiden Ireland try seven minutes before the break having latched on to a Ringrose pass.

A difficult first 40 minutes for the Brave Blossoms was compounded by hooker Atsushi Sakate being sin-binned in added time for repeated infringements.

Ireland continued on the front foot after the restart and 36-year-old Sexton once again brought spectators to their feet.

The influential talisman burst on to a Gibson-Park offload to find a gap in the Japan defence and touch down, before being mobbed by team-mates and then regaining his composure to slot the extras.

Things were quickly becoming embarrassing for the Brave Blossoms as Aki went over in the 55th minute.

But just two minutes later – after Ireland brought on hooker Dan Sheehan for an international debut – Fifita found space to marginally reduce the arrears.

Sexton was given a rapturous reception when he was rested in favour of understudy Joey Carbery 18 minutes from time.

The replacement 10 successfully converted after Ringrose bulldozed over, before Conway continued the rout by completing his treble six minutes from time with his 13th international try.

Substitute Healy had the final say by powering over under the posts at the death, with Carbery’s second conversion completing the scoring.

Head coach Farrell could not have wished for much more from his side’s opening match of the month but they will face a far more serious test with the All Blacks in town next Saturday, followed by Argentina the following weekend.

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J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

34 Go to comments
A
Adrian 10 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

34 Go to comments
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